Five of Australia’s champions from the FIBA U18 Asia will drop into to Turkiye from 26 – 29 August for Basketball Without Borders Next Up, a global scouting initiative delivered by the NBA, FIBA alongside National Federations.
The Aussie contingent includes Asia Cup MVP Yahya Basaran, high-flyers Riak Akhuar, John Aryang, big Victorian Will Hamilton and prime distributor Antonio Browne.
Over the week, 80 of the top male high school-age prospects from around the world will compete and train across a four-day itinerary at Basketbol Gelişim Merkezi in Istanbul.
Peter Lonergan, GM of Performance Pathways acknowledged the opportunity and involvement of the Australian quintet.
“This will be a unique opportunity for our guys to improve, be coached by FIBA/NBA players and coaches and get to know other basketball players their age from across the globe,” said Lonergan.
Featured coaches and mentors at the summit include Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, NBA legend and former Yugoslavia Men’s National Team member Vlade Divac, former NBA and Italian Men’s National Team player Danilo Gallinari, 2021 NBA champion Brook Lopez (LA Clippers), 2021 NBA champion and three-time NBA All-Star Khris Middleton (Washington Wizards) and 2023-24 Kia NBA All-Defensive Second Team member Jalen Suggs (Orlando Magic). The roster of campers and additional coaches will be announced prior to the camp.
In conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the BWB – the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program, in February the NBA and FIBA announced the launch of BWB Next Up – two annual camps for the top 80 male prospects and top 80 female prospects from outside the U.S.
Top-performing players will be selected to participate in BWB All-Star camps at the following NBA and AT&T WNBA All-Star. The inaugural Women’s BWB Next Up will take place in fall 2026.
More than 50 former BWB campers were among the record 135 international players on opening-night rosters in the NBA last season, including All-Stars Deni Avdija (Portland Trail Blazers; Israel; BWB Europe 2018; BWB All-Star 2019), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder; Canada; BWB All-Star 2016), Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets; Canada; BWB All-Star 2015) and Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2012).
BWB has reached more than 4,900 participants from 149 countries and territories since 2001, with 155 former campers advancing to the NBA or WNBA. The NBA and FIBA have staged 86 BWB camps in 56 cities across 36 countries on six continents.
